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(No Model.)

E. W. THOMPSON:

BOOK SUPPORT.

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UNITED SrATns EDVARD W.

THOMPSON, on LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASsIeN-On or 'ONE- HALn To nnnnnniox TAYLOR, or ,SAME P LAOn.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming 'partof Letters Patent N0. 305,863, dated September 30, 1884.

Application filed December 1, ISES. (No model.)

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Supports, of which the following is a I specification.I

My invention relates to means ol holding books upright on the.. shelves ot' a book-case when the shelves are not tilled with books, and to means of supporting books on a shelf, or on the shelf next below, at pleasure.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an isometric view ot' two book-shelves and booksV thereon with my invention attached. Figs. 2 and 3 are .Oblique views of different forms of my invention. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of two book-shelves with books thereon and my invention attached to both/the upper and lower shelves.

A A are shelves of a book-case, a row of books, B, on the lower sheltl being supported by my invention.

For along time librarians of publie libraries and persons having private collections of books have felt the need of a suitable'device for holding upright books remaining upon the shelves where volumes are frequently removed, and where, Owing to their diilerent heights and thicknesses, the books are liable to fall over when one or more of them are removed, thereby straining the bindings and rendering their titles difficult to distinguish. Such a device should be simple, inexpensive, and easily applied, capable of being moved readily upon the shelf by one hand ofthe operator without marring or scratching said shelf', and capable of retaining its position upon the shelf'. To moet this want I provide my boolesupport. The

springwire C is bent'at C to form a springclamp, which engages the shelf, and the lower portion, CF, of the clamp terminates in lateral arms Or extensions D D', to give it a iirin support upon the under side of the shelf. The upper portion of the clamp C is bent at E to form another lateral extension, E, and the wire is again bent et F to form the upright arm F, which has its upper part bentat about. right angles at G, as shown in' Figs. 1 and 3. 50 In case ot' lower shelves of book-cases that have drawers or other solid foundation beneath them, so that my support cannot engage with the lower shelf` I use the form of' sup-v 3 in vhaving the lower portion Ol' the clamp C2 formed without lateral extensions, and in having the upper portion ofthe clamp G provided with two lateral extensions, E and E, instead oi' one, as shown in Fig. 3.

By forming the lower portion ofthe springclanip C'l without the later-(1l extensions, I am enabled to apply my support to the shelf above the one upon which the books are to be supported, even though the said shelf be. filled with books. since the portion of the springclamp C2, being formed of wire, and its end being attened, can be readily inserted between or beneath the books on the shelf without injury to thoin. This form can be used to support books on the shclt'above by simply reversing the position of the support.

Both forms of my support are shown in position in Fig. 4.

'I claim as my invention- I. A book-support consisting of a vertical part, an arm extending laterally i'roin the base of the vertical part, and a U-shaped spring connected at one ot' its ends to the base of the support, substantially ns described, and for 8O the purpose specified.

2. A book-support consisting of a vertical part, a clamp to engage the book-shelf, coniprising an upper jaw extending laterally to one side of the vertical part, a lower jaw ex- 85 tending laterally on both sides, and a bowspriug connecting the two jaws, as and for the purpose speciiied.

EDV/ARD XV.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, VILLTAM RALERT.

THOMPSON.

port shown in Fig. 2, which differs from Fig. 55 

